A new wildfire has burned 43 acres on the border of Sanpete and Emery Counties after lightning struck the area several days earlier.
Utah Fire Info officials announced Saturday morning that the fire ignited Thursday and remained small until overnight winds spread the flames.
The wildfire, now identified as the Black Canyon Fire, is burning in steep, inaccessible terrain on U.S. Forest Service land.
The state has assigned two helicopters to assist with fire suppression efforts. Officials stated the fire has the potential for significant growth because of forecasted winds for Saturday afternoon.
Critical fire weather conditions are expected to persist through the weekend, with humidity as low as 9% and wind gusts reaching up to 35 mph across much of Utah.
A National Weather Service warning noted that any new fire starts or existing fires may spread rapidly. A Red Flag Warning is scheduled to go into effect on Sunday for multiple counties, including Sanpete County and the northwest corner of Emery County.
